The Fine Craftsmanship of Van Cleef & Arpels
A house rich in whimsy and renowned for its fine craftsmanship, which has dressed the elite in fine jewelry since its inception in 1906.
The expertise of Van Cleef & Arpels includes the procurement of rare stones, gem setting, enameling, watchmaking, and more. This, along with a star-studded client list and a proclivity for reinvention, has carved out a sustainable place for the brand in the luxury marketplace.
Van Cleef & Arpels began as a love story; the daughter of a precious stone dealer, Estelle Arpels, married the son of a stonecutter, Alfred Van Cleef, in 1895. Their combined passions for jewelry making, family, and each other produced the house's flagship location in Paris’s prestigious Place Vendôme.
Youthful enthusiasm and a pioneering spirit continue to pulse through the brand through pieces with hidden functions, modeled after exotic birds, fairies, and flowers—as well as through material selections in more traditional pieces. One of the most romantic forms the house has recreated over the years is the flower. Around 1957, Van Cleef & Arpels introduced the “Camellia” design, which showcased alternating rows of circular-cut diamonds and sapphires designed after the Camellia flower.
In early 2017, Freeman's featured a “Camellia” brooch and matching earrings at auction. The brooch had an estimated diamond weight of 10.00 carats, and sold for nearly double its high estimate: $93,750. The matching pair of earrings contained an estimated sapphire weight of 14.50 carats, and an estimated total diamond weight of 6.00 carats. Like the brooch, the earrings soared past their pre-sale estimate to achieve $56,250.
The client list for Van Cleef & Arpels includes one of the most prominent fashion icons of the 20th century: Oscar-winning actress-turned-royal Grace Kelly. Just a few months after Kelly wed Prince Rainier III of Monaco, in 1956—becoming Princess Grace of Monaco—the house became the “Official Supplier to the Principality of Monaco,” thus beginning Kelly’s lifelong love of Van Cleef & Arpels.
Kelly collected a wide range of Van Cleef & Arpels pieces, from traditional to whimsical. In 1954, the maison debuted its “La Boutique” animal clip collection. Kelly was attracted to the playful range of clips, which depicted cartoon-style animals in various precious metals and stones. Two fine examples from the “La Boutique” collection were offered at Freeman’s in 2016: a seated dog with polished gold wire fur, set with a green onyx eye and a black onyx nose; and an 18-karat gold and gem-set rabbit clip. The body of the rabbit was created from yellow gold rope twist strands. Facing to the side, the rabbit was fitted with a cabochon emerald eye, accented with round single-cut diamonds and a faceted ruby nose.
Kelly also collected the house's Alhambra necklaces. The Alhambra collection features a rounded four-leaf clover shape—perhaps one of the house’s most recognizable motifs—echoing the Moorish quatrefoil found in the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain. Launched in 1968, the symbol became Van Cleef & Arpels' new emblem. The Alhambra collection utilizes a wide variety of materials, although mother-of-pearl models remain the house's bestseller.
Freeman's has had much success selling onyx, lapis, malachite and tiger's eye versions at auction. An onyx and eighteen-karat gold Alhambra necklace was sold by Freeman’s for $15,000 in 2014. Van Cleef & Arpels’ iconic styles remain timeless, and auctions remain a popular venue for buying and selling these coveted pieces.